Sweet Husband and I took our three grandblessings to a local park and splash pad last week. We had so much fun! The climbing equipment, buckets that pour water on your head, a picnic lunch and, best of all, the Kona Ice stand made for a fun day that even a few Cicadas could not spoil.
After several hours, we came back to Nana and Papa’s house to play and just chill out. Later in the afternoon, #1 Grandblessing asked if we had any macaroni and cheese. She knew the answer to that question before she asked. You see, our grandblessings LOVE macaroni and cheese at Nana and Papa’s. I have tried making homemade mac and cheese using several different recipes, but they prefer the blue boxed Kraft. So, I always have several boxes stashed in my pantry for the three sweetest little humans God ever created.
#2 Grandblessing likes to help make the mac and cheese and one day asked why my mac and cheese was so good. I told her I put lots of love in it. This day was no different. #2 Grandblessing pulled a chair up to the kitchen counter and said, “I want to help.”
She carefully poured the macaroni into the boiling water. When it was done, she poured in the milk, butter, cheese and began stirring. Once it was all mixed up, she looked at me with her beautiful brown eyes and asked, “How do we put the love in it?”
I chuckled and began blowing kisses into the yellow pot of pasta. She joined me and then said, “I think we should whisper, too.” Sweet #2, bent down close to the steaming mac and cheese and began whispering, “Love, love, love.”
She looked at me with a giant smile and said, “Now it is ready.” My heart melted.
In this crazy world we are living, what might happen if we put love into everything we do each day? How would our interactions with our family, co-workers, neighbors, and strangers we meet with change?
A few days ago, I went through the Taco Bell drive through for a crispy Taco Supreme and the lady at the window, while taking my money, asked how I was doing. I could tell by her tone and lack of eye contact that it was part of her job, and she was not really engaging with me. I smiled and said, “I’m fine. How are you today?”
She stopped and just stood there for a few seconds. She then looked at me and said, “Wow, I didn’t know how to respond. No one has ever asked me how I was doing.”
Jesus tells us in John 13:34:
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
and in
John 14:35: By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
Our Amazing Daughter #1, mama to our grandblessings, made the same Kraft mac and cheese I make but #2 Grandblessing told her, “Nana’s mac and cheese is better. She puts love in it!” (For the record, Amazing Daughter #1 puts much love into everything she does for her family.) Love makes all the difference!
Our country has been through a lot this past year. It is not uncommon to see people avoiding eye contact or walking away from strangers out of fear or uncertainty. What might happen in our own little corner of the world if we do what Jesus told us to do and love one another in a tangible way? Perhaps by—
-a smile
-holding the door open
-engaging in genuine conversation
-showing interest in others
-saying thank you for even the smallest kindness someone shows to us.
Just as putting love into macaroni and cheese makes it taste better, adding love to all our interactions just might make our world a better place.
What ideas do you have to put love in your day? I would love to hear about them in the comments.